Back in April of 2015, we featured a small variety of exotic woods that had caught our attention. Since then, we’ve seen some fine examples of jaw-dropping basses here in the BASSment, and with the addition of a few brands that really stand out in the industry with their wood selection, we thought we should revisit this with a few new examples!

AMBOYNA BURL

’Pterocarpus indicus’ (and others). Found in Indonesia and surrounding areas.

This stunning, ornate, and highly sought after burl wood is named after the island where it is mostly sourced, Ambon Island in Indonesia. Much like the Buckeye Burl mentioned in the previous article, the figures are a result of a kind of stress to the tree. What sets this burl apart from many others is the stark contrast in color from the sapwood.

POPLAR BURL

Poplar is widely considered to be an ideal utility wood for its durability and availability and is seldom used for its appearance. Because of it’s softness, it is susceptible to insect attack, and therefore, it is common to see some ornate burls!

KATALOX

‘Swartzia spp’. Found in Southern Mexico, Central America, and northern South America.

Highly dense and, as a result, a huge pain in the ass to work with. But the sapwood is often rich and plentiful in this one, and the end result is a fantastic contrast! The dark heartwood also makes a nice alternative to ebony.

BLACK WALNUT BURL

‘Juglans nigra'. Found in Eastern U.S.

Walnut is commonly used in furniture building as its straight grain patterns make it easy to work with. As a result, it’s popular among builders for that along with the rich color, strength, and shock resistance. Add that into a burl, and you have quite the looker!

Reach out anytimeif you’re looking for more information on more of our incredible exotic wood basses, or if you want to build your dream bass with one of the amazing woods that are available! We have some exciting options in store!